Technically, I'm about 40 years old, and only used safety razors when I began shaving in my late teens. However I got tired of bleeding all the time, as a combination of El cheapo razors and awful technique, and moved over to cartridges. But recently, I came across more and more people online recommending traditional safety razors. And so, I began to rediscover the old ways for myself. I'm trying to stay cheap for the moment. I'll write reviews of my equipment, in the order I've used them. I have still not perfected my technique, so please let me know if I'm doing it wrong.
Razors:
Feather Popular: (900 INR, 14 USD) Extremely mild, as everyone says, so much so that I don't know when I'm actually shaving, and not just sliding the razor across my face. Whenever I use this, I end up with a bloody face. I think I might have used it about 10 times so far, and I still end with a bloody face. And I've never gotten a good shave with it either, especially around my chin and below my jaw.
7'o Clock Sterling: (80 INR, 1.25 USD) It's supposed to be a more aggressive version of Gillette Tech. I can feel the blade on my face and have learnt how to be careful with it. I get decent shaves, and a couple of cuts each time.
Baili BT171: (560 INR, 8.7 USD) It's supposed to be a closer clone of Gillette Tech, and it's milder than the Sterling. But again, I can feel the blade on my face, and can judge how to be careful. I get nearly perfect shaves with this.
Shaving creams and soaps:
Old Spice shaving cream, original scent: (~60 INR) Mild scent, and loses most of its slickness after a pass.
Godrej shaving round: (~20 INR) Mild scent, and hard to find. I only bought it after seeing very positive reviews. I hate it. It lathers up quickly enough, but the foam loses nearly all its slickness after the blade goes over it. Subsequent swipes (of the same pass) with the razor become very difficult unless the foam is reapplied.
Gillette series shave gel, the kind that comes in a tube: (~60 INR) Works perfectly for me, and I like its fragrance.
Shaving brushes:
Gillette nylon bristle: (~60 INR) Very basic, and feels rough, but it works well enough.
Venus horsehair brush: (200 INR) I found something cheap on ebay, so I decided to try it out. It's awful. The knot is too long, and the hair is pretty sparse, so it's hard to build up (or retain) a good lather. Moreover, it sheds so much that I get to shave a horse while I'm trying to shave my face.
Others:
Kashish Lucas alum block: (~20 INR) I found it at a local grocery. Though the box doesn't say what kind it is, some website says it's potash alum. It works well enough.
Gillette Guard: (~20 INR) Though it's a cartridge razor, it's got a single blade. Anyway, it works perfectly for me. Though not as mild as a Mach 3, I get perfect shaves with it.
I'm open to trying out more expensive imported stuff, but I refuse to pay the stinking government exorbitant import duties, as a matter of principle. I'll ask friends who travel to bring me stuff.
I guess my first question is about the Feather Popular: how do you get it to work? I have tried to keep the top plate flushed against my skin, but I still bleed a lot, and continue to get awful shaves.
PS: I have only tried Feather blades and Gillette Wilkinson Sword salon pack blades so far. I'll try other local options soon.
Sent from my Moto G4 Plus using Tapatalk
Razors:
Feather Popular: (900 INR, 14 USD) Extremely mild, as everyone says, so much so that I don't know when I'm actually shaving, and not just sliding the razor across my face. Whenever I use this, I end up with a bloody face. I think I might have used it about 10 times so far, and I still end with a bloody face. And I've never gotten a good shave with it either, especially around my chin and below my jaw.
7'o Clock Sterling: (80 INR, 1.25 USD) It's supposed to be a more aggressive version of Gillette Tech. I can feel the blade on my face and have learnt how to be careful with it. I get decent shaves, and a couple of cuts each time.
Baili BT171: (560 INR, 8.7 USD) It's supposed to be a closer clone of Gillette Tech, and it's milder than the Sterling. But again, I can feel the blade on my face, and can judge how to be careful. I get nearly perfect shaves with this.
Shaving creams and soaps:
Old Spice shaving cream, original scent: (~60 INR) Mild scent, and loses most of its slickness after a pass.
Godrej shaving round: (~20 INR) Mild scent, and hard to find. I only bought it after seeing very positive reviews. I hate it. It lathers up quickly enough, but the foam loses nearly all its slickness after the blade goes over it. Subsequent swipes (of the same pass) with the razor become very difficult unless the foam is reapplied.
Gillette series shave gel, the kind that comes in a tube: (~60 INR) Works perfectly for me, and I like its fragrance.
Shaving brushes:
Gillette nylon bristle: (~60 INR) Very basic, and feels rough, but it works well enough.
Venus horsehair brush: (200 INR) I found something cheap on ebay, so I decided to try it out. It's awful. The knot is too long, and the hair is pretty sparse, so it's hard to build up (or retain) a good lather. Moreover, it sheds so much that I get to shave a horse while I'm trying to shave my face.
Others:
Kashish Lucas alum block: (~20 INR) I found it at a local grocery. Though the box doesn't say what kind it is, some website says it's potash alum. It works well enough.
Gillette Guard: (~20 INR) Though it's a cartridge razor, it's got a single blade. Anyway, it works perfectly for me. Though not as mild as a Mach 3, I get perfect shaves with it.
I'm open to trying out more expensive imported stuff, but I refuse to pay the stinking government exorbitant import duties, as a matter of principle. I'll ask friends who travel to bring me stuff.
I guess my first question is about the Feather Popular: how do you get it to work? I have tried to keep the top plate flushed against my skin, but I still bleed a lot, and continue to get awful shaves.
PS: I have only tried Feather blades and Gillette Wilkinson Sword salon pack blades so far. I'll try other local options soon.
Sent from my Moto G4 Plus using Tapatalk
